In an age of fallen heroes where can we look for new role models? Author Irenosen Okojie and BBC war correspondent Frank Gardner talk with Shahidha Bari about the characters – both real and fictional – that have inspired them, and discuss who they think should be held up as the inspiring icons of our troubled times.

Image source, Image: SJ Objio / Unsplash

In June last year, Candice Brathwaite appeared on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour to talk about her experiences as a Black mother in Britain. (Interview starts at 11'40'').

Discover how Matt Coyne learned an invaluable parenting lesson - involving Christmas and a purple Raleigh Chopper - from his unforthcoming father.

The day my dad let a purple Raleigh Chopper teach me a lesson, external

Image source, Image: Mitchell Jones / Unsplash

Gill Sims is the author of the popular Peter and Jane blog, external about modern parenting. You can read more about her rise to fame in this article from BBC Scotland's Nichola Rutherford.

Image source, GIll Simms

Thanks to all our panellists for some great and practical advice.

Joining Ace to share their wisdom on parenting are:

Candice Brathwaite is an author, journalist, TV presenter, and founder of Make Motherhood Diverse – an online initiative that aims to ensure many more people see themselves reflected online. Candice started blogging in 2016, telling her own motherhood story to show that young black families weren’t just surviving but thriving. Her straight-talking, original take on the issues struck a chord with fans. Candice is a Contributing Editor to Grazia, and she regularly discusses maternal mortality rates for black women on national radio and television news.

Gill Sims is the author of the bestselling Why Mummy series, and the parenting blog Peter and Jane. She lives in Scotland with her husband, two children and "two Border Terriers, who rule the house". Gill's interests include "drinking wine, wasting time on social media, trying and failing to recapture her lost youth."

Matt Coyne’s life was turned upside down in September 2015 with the arrival of his son Charlie. After three months of parenthood, he started to write on social media about the experience of living with "a furious, sleep-murdering, unstable and incontinent, breasts-obsessed midget lodger". Within days, his post about surviving the first few months of parenthood was shared by millions. Matt went on to create his popular Man vs Baby blog. Matt has written two bestselling books based on his parental triumphs and disasters, Dummy and Man vs Toddler. He has also written for The Guardian, The Telegraph and GQ Magazine. Matt lives in Sheffield with his son Charlie, his partner Lyndsay and Eddie, "a Jack Russell terrier with issues".

The relationships between parents and children have inspired some of our best literature. Which books about family and friendship did our BBC panel choose to include in the list of The Novels That Shaped Our World?

You can get personalised recommendations for more family dramas - and help put together a list of the nation's favourite stories about parenting and families - by taking part in a short survey, external.

From Dr Spock to Gina Ford, every new parent is bombarded with advice on the dos and don’ts of parenting – each expert contradicting the advice of the next.

In a world glutted with books, blogs and Instagram posts about how to be a perfect parent, how do we learn from the experience and expertise of others without becoming overwhelmed, insecure and disconnected from our own instincts?

Three authors of parenting books confront the question: have we reached peak parenting advice? Join Candice Brathwaite (I am not your Baby Mother), Gill Sims (Why Mummy Drinks) and Matt Coyne (Man vs Baby) at midday.

Image source, Image: Nathan Dumlao / Unsplash

Tomorrow at 4pm we're talking about how books can help your mental health. Could you use a bespoke fiction prescription?

Still to come - we've sessions on heroism, masculinity, and how to write good sex, and we'll be rounding off the day with a Big Book Chat with Queen of Crime Val McDermid.

A reminder thatour festival schedule is here.

We're using the latest gadgets to bring you a festival in lockdown - but it's great to see alternative ways of celebrating books.

Glad you enjoyed it Phillip!

Ian Rankin joins James Naughtie to talk about creating Inspector Rebus, and to discuss two of his novels, Noughts and Crosses and The Falls, on Radio Four's Book Club.